Little Girl Lost
by Gothic984
Summary: Caleb pulls a sick day, while Gail tries to deal with a sickness of her own.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year, Picture Perfect, Kinship, Big River, Sunday Morning Coming Down, To Beat The Devil and Best Of All Possible Worlds.

It was a hot and humid summer's morning in Trinity SC, the birds were out early chirping to one another while the sun beat down on the sleepy little town.

Gail Emory moved a stray strand of her out of her eyes and stared at the extravagant garden before her, she watched as a few small birds flew down to the grass and smiled as they started digging with their beaks for food. Gail would not usually class watching birds hunt for worms as a particularly good pastime; however, she was enjoying the simplicity of it all, considering how messed up her life was at present.

Gail inhaled deeply and wiped away a small bead of sweat that was forming on her forehead. It was only 7:30am and the heat was already relentless, she had no doubt that come midday it would be unbearable. She sighed to herself and picked up the diary she had been putting off reading, she had finally opened it and gotten through a few pages the previous evening; however, she had been interrupted.

It was getting increasingly harder to dig into her apparent past self and Gail was becoming agitated. If it was not Caleb or Merlyn requiring her attention, it was her friends or her Editor Mark. After what had occurred the previous month, Mark had been on her back to write more articles. She did not believe he remembered Lucas throwing him over the Pier rail; however, he clearly knew something had happened when he was with her and his primal instinct was to come down on her hard professionally.

Gail never ran from a challenge and she wanted to put all her time into investigating potential stories in her past; however, she had a family to take care of and this town was awfully quiet these days, which meant it was taking more of time than she would have liked to attempt to find a subject for her articles.

She cursed herself for even entertaining the thought; however, it was evident that the only time she felt at peace these days was here with Lucas. This place had started to make her feel at ease and Lucas had been strangely well behaved when it came to leaving her to her own devices.

Although she had finally managed to open the diary yesterday evening, she had found his interruption to be a pleasant distraction and it did not take much for him to convince her to come home with him. Usually she would fight her urges, especially when she was so interested in the contents of the diary; however, she had just hidden it away in her bag and let him have his way with her.

She knew she could not continue to allow herself to be so easily controlled, when she had her dependents to think about. She had chosen to go for custody of Caleb and that meant giving up her right to do what she pleased. Gail was under no illusion that she should be acting like a true parent in order to ensure he was getting the care that he required; however, her cousin appeared to be managing fine with his sister, which meant she was able to hold onto her freedom for a little longer.

'Well I've given you the solution to that little dilemma Darlin', all you've gotta do is say yes' Lucas offered, as he came out of the door and onto the porch.

Gail subtly returned the diary to her bag, then sighed. 'And I've already told you that I have no right to damn that child just because I've damned myself'

'Don't be so dramatic' Lucas smirked, then walked casually towards her wearing only a small pair of boxer shorts and stretched before sitting on the chair beside her.

Gail let out a small laugh then shook her head. 'You don't think I'm damned?' she asked, tucking her bag under the chair and turning towards him.

Lucas smiled and stroked her cheek gently, then turned towards the birds in the garden who were fighting over a worm that had just been discovered. 'Even if you were, so what?...You couldn't handle a boring sin free life Miss Emory, it's not in your nature'

Gail pondered on his comment for a moment, then shrugged and moved from her seated position to a kneeling position between his legs. 'I suppose I would have to give up the pleasures in life to become a saint' she said and began to carefully pull down his boxer shorts.

Lucas watched her closely and lifted himself up slightly so she could remove his shorts. She had been in an oddly accepting mood recently and he was not sure he trusted it. 'Life is all about pleasure Darlin', anythin' else in between is just a waste'

Gail smiled and licked her lips seductively, then took him in her mouth and started to suck. She felt a pleasurable satisfaction when she heard his loud moan and removed him from her mouth. 'As much as I'd love to spend all day experimenting with pleasure, I have people I need to see to...The balls in your court Sheriff'

Lucas shook his head slowly, knowing she was referring to getting home to his boy and hating that their time was being cut short. 'Well in that case Miss Emory, I'd rather you up her with me to experience this together...We can make time for foreplay later' he replied suggestively and pulled her up to him.

Gail removed her silk shorts and straddled him, happy that he had taken her hint. When she took him inside of her they both let out a loud moan and she began to ride him, she would not have been permitted to leave until they had performed this act and she knew by now that any resistance would only make her late for her daily duties.

* * *

Merlyn sat at the kitchen table drumming her fingers impatiently. As Gail had chosen to stay at Lucas' last night Matt had decided to stay to ensure both her and Caleb were alright; however, it appeared she was the first one up and the boys were no where in sight.

Gail had authorized Matt to sleep in her room if he was staying over when she was not there and Merlyn had considered entering the room to check if he was awake; however, she sensed that her cousin would not appreciate them both being in her room together, although she did not understand why.

A slight creak caught Merlyns attention and she smiled when she realized it was Gail's bedroom door opening, Matt crept out quietly wearing a long T Shirt and loose pair of boxer shorts with his hair sticking up in an unkempt manner. Merlyn tried to stifle her giggle when she saw the state of him as he approached her, but failed miserably.

Matt narrowed his eyes at the girl in a fake scolding manner. 'What's your problem? I think this look is ideal for my day job' he said sarcastically.

'Of course it is...' Merlyn laughed, '...I'm sure all your patients would have no problem taking you seriously with those legs'

Matt had forgotten he was only wearing his boxer shorts and hurried to the shower. 'Point taken' he winked playfully, then disappeared into the bathroom.

Merlyn smiled to herself and began to fill the coffee pot, she had not had the heart to tell Matt how late it was getting as she did not want to spoil his happy mood; however, if they all did not hurry up they would all be late. As if sensing her concern, the front door swung open and Gail popped her head around it.

Merlyn tensed, not expecting her cousin to come home this morning and cursed herself for not making sure Caleb was ready for school.

'Come on guys...' Gail called, '...Whoever wants to be on time today better get out here quick, or I'm leaving without you'

Merlyn heard the shower turn off and went to her cousin to buy Matt some time, she sensed something different within her cousin and tried not to provoke her unusual side. 'Mornin' Gail, you look radiant today' she smiled.

Gail glanced at Merlyn, who appeared to be the only one ready and shook her head. 'Where is everyone?' she asked, unimpressed.

Merlyn looked over her shoulder and heard Gail's bedroom door close, then glanced up the empty stairs hoping her brother had arisen; however, it appeared that was too much to hope for. 'Matt's just finishin' off gettin' ready, he'll only be a minute'

Gail inhaled deeply in an attempt to control her irritation, ever since she had left Lucas' she had felt on edge and she did not understand why. The fact that only one of her dependents was ready did not help ease her irritation and she walked closer to the stairs. 'Caleb Temple, I'm going to give you to the count of 3 to get down here...' she called calmly with her arms folded over her chest, '...1...2...'

'I'm comin'' Caleb sighed and walked down the stairs in his pyjama's.

Gail stared at her cousin in disbelief and shook her head. 'I wasn't aware the school dress code had changed' she said sarcastically.

Merlyn picked up on the slight hint of anger in her cousins tone and glanced towards Matt as he came to join them. 'We're gonna wait in the car' she said and signaled for Matt to follow her.

Caleb watched as his sister rushed out of the house to avoid any confrontation, then turned towards his cousin. 'I don't feel well' he whispered, putting on his best innocent look.

Gail laughed and ran her hand through her hair. 'Is that so? And where has this suddenly come from?'

Caleb shrugged and took a step closer to her cousin. 'I dunno but I'm really not well...feel!' he said, then moved his forehead close to her and concentrated hard.

Gail rolled her eyes then placed her hand on his forehead, suddenly his forehead became very hot and clammy then he began to shiver. Caleb was much like herself in the way that they did not get sick and she sensed deceit here; however, she could not deny that he had a fever and she could not send him to school like this. 'Fine...' she relented, '...but you get back to bed and stay there until I return home'

'You don't need to come home Gail, I'll be fine' he smiled, proud of himself for pulling this off.

'Oh you don't get off that easily...' she said knowingly, '...I have a few errands to run first, but then I'll call in work myself to inform them that my dependent requires my attention today'

Caleb narrowed his eyes at her, he had expected to be left alone; however, it appeared his plan had backfired.

Gail sensed his irritation at her intruding on his plans and smiled. 'Back to bed' she ordered and headed to her bedroom to hide the diary she had wanted to read, then rushed out of the house and closed the door.

* * *

Lucas got out of his car and walked casually over the the coffee shop opposite the Sheriff's Station, where he spotted Ben sat with Billy. His stunt in arresting the man previously still amused him and Billy had appeared to be successfully avoiding him since his release. Lucas knew all parties Billy involved himself with would have warned him against crossing paths with Lucas, so the fact that he was here for the taking was all the more surprising.

As he got closer to the pair, he spotted the look of worry on Ben's face and smiled. 'Well, well, this is a pleasant surprise...how's suspended life treatin' you Doc?'

Billy saw his friends demeanor change and rolled his eyes when he realized why. 'If seeing me instills a pleasant feeling in you Buck, I'd say you need to get yourself checked out' Billy snapped and took a large sip of his black coffee.

Lucas leaned against Billy's chair and smiled smugly. 'Well I suppose your other friend riding me like a stallion earlier may have put me in a good mood and made your presence here more bearable Billy-boy...we'll have to ensure she keeps up the good work'

Ben closed his eyes and shook his head, he had not expected Billy to be here in the place he usually met Gail and hoped both men in front of him would just disappear; however, when he opened his eyes he saw Billy had gotten up to square up to Lucas and knew his day was going to go down hill from here. 'Oh come on now...' he sighed as he got up, '...you two need to stop this right now'

'I ain't doin' anythin' Deputy...' Lucas smiled, '...it appears Billy-boy here may a problem though'

'The only problem I have is you Buck' Billy said irritably and stared in anger as Lucas' smile grew.

'Aww hell, you wouldn't be the first Doc that became unraveled by my presence...you're not even the best...' Lucas laughed, '...At least Harvard presented some challenge, all you do is leech off my women and expect them to fight your battles for you'

Ben forced his way between both men and sighed. 'Look, you two can stand about here all day throwin' insults but I've got more important things to be concerned about. Why don't you both just call it quits and allow me some remnant of a normal day?'

Billy stared defiantly at Lucas, then took a step back. He tried to ignore the smug look of triumph on Lucas' face as he sat back down at the table, knowing Ben would expect him to behave in a more mature manner.

Lucas laughed to himself as he sensed Billy's hostility towards him, then patted his Deputy on the back. 'Don't you worry about anythin' Benji, he ain't got the balls to follow through anyhow'

Ben inhaled deeply and willed his friend not to react, when Billy just took a sip of his drink Ben relaxed and watched Lucas casually walk towards the Sheriff's Station.

'That man is lucky I care about your stress levels' Billy said as Ben sat back down.

'We're lucky his attention is elsewhere' Ben laughed nervously and took a sip of his coffee.

* * *

Lucas entered his office then sat down behind his desk, the confrontation with Billy had amused him; however, there was something below his surface which made him feel uneasy and he was unsure why. Lucas leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and opened up his minds eye. He instantly located Caleb at Gail's house, which was concerning as it was a school day. He inhaled deeply and stretched his minds eye further in an attempt to locate his love, then smiled when he sensed her presence at work.

Lucas allowed his attention to remain on Gail for a moment, when he focused his vision it was clear she was slouched in her chair with her head in her hands. Suddenly a bright flash pierced through his brain, resulting in his focus being lost and him being brought back to his office.

Lucas sat upright in his chair and shook his head. It appeared he had a choice to make as to whether his attention should be aimed at his son or his love today.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Gail sat in her bright office at the Trinity Guardian with her head in her hands. She had emailed her Editor to inform him that she would be taking dependents leave for the day, due to her cousins condition; however, all her energy had suddenly disappeared and she felt a dull ache in her head. She had been sat in this position for over 10 minutes when a knock came on the office door and the door slowly opened.

'Go away' Gail called and closed her eyes to block out the bright sun shining through her large office window.

'I'm sorry, I didn't think I'd be disturbin' you...I'll come back another time' Rita stuttered nervously and began to close the door.

Gail inhaled deeply in irritation at her own rude manner and looked towards the pretty red head exiting her office. 'Don't be silly, I didn't realize it was you...Come in' she said, forcing an inviting tone and stood up slowly.

Rita turned back towards her and smiled, then entered the room and closed the door. 'I really am sorry if I'm disturbin' you' she said apologetically.

Gail admired the innocent beauty of the woman before her, Rita was displaying her pregnancy in a dignified fashion and was dressing her now large figure in a flattering way. Gail admired her style and lack of interest in what other people thought, it gave some strength to her character. She herself spoke to the people in this town recently, due to the nature of some articles and they were not shy in commenting about this pregnancy out of wedlock.

Although Ben was her closest friend in Trinity these days, she knew he did not care about the gossip around the town; therefore, she chose not to dignify the comments she had heard with a response. If someone was directly insulting her friend she would ensure there were repercussions, but so far the talk was just small town gossip and there was no need to get involved.

Gail signaled for Rita to sit and perched herself on the corner of her desk. 'To what do I owe this unexpected appearance?' she asked curiously.

'I'm goin' stir crazy in my house...' Rita laughed and stroked her large belly affectionately, '...Matt keeps sending me home from work and Ben won't allow me to do anythin' either, so I thought I'd come see you as neither of them would dare tell you off'

Gail nodded knowingly, as she was close to both men she knew they worried about Rita overdoing it in her current condition. 'They're just concerned about you, there's nothing wrong with that...' she started.

'Would you follow their orders if you were in my position?' Rita interrupted.

Gail smiled and shook her head. 'I don't follow anyone's orders, but that isn't always a good thing' she answered honestly.

Rita sighed and looked down at her stomach, she felt as big as a house and was sick of having to cater her life around this pregnancy. 'I just need to do somethin' Gail...I feel like a prisoner here'

Gail regarded the woman before her with sympathy, she did not envy her position and she remembered how trapped she had felt when Lucas used to monitor her discreetly when she was in that same condition. Gail rolled her eyes and sighed, 'You know what? I'm hungry, let's go grab a bite to eat'

Rita stood up and smiled, 'Really? I don't wanna stop you from doin' what you need to do'

Gail laughed, stood up and reached for her bag. 'All I needed to do today was catch out my cousin who's apparently too ill for school, but he can wait'

'Well, I am a Nurse so maybe I can help with that chore' she laughed and followed Gail out of the office.

* * *

Caleb hung up the telephone and smiled, Gail had called to inform him that she was going to be longer than expected and he was to sit tight until she got back. He had not intended to deceive his cousin, it had just happened and the longer she took getting back the less time he had to lie to her face.

'You think you can fool her son?...' Lucas asked reading his mind, '...That ol' cousin of yours has been trained to spot a false statement a mile away'

Caleb rolled his eyes at the sound of his fathers voice and turned around to see him leaning casually against the wall. 'Not that it's any concern of yours, but I don't feel too good and she believes me'

'Keep tellin' yourself that son' Lucas laughed and walked past Caleb to the living room area, where his boy had been playing on a games console Gail had bought him.

Caleb watched Lucas carefully and stood tall when Lucas shot him a knowing look. 'What? Just cause I'm poorly don't mean I should be bored' he snapped, then sat down on the couch and picked up his Playstation 4 pad.

Lucas regarded the console with disdain, he did not approve of such electronic devices and believed one should make their own entertainment rather than depending on a machine. 'I really don't see what you could get out of playin' that son, what happened to your readin'?'

'Gail thought this was more suitable for me than the books I was readin'' Caleb shrugged.

'More suitable than your fascination with genocide were my exact words Caleb' Gail said as she entered the room with Rita and shook her head disapprovingly.

Lucas glanced at his love, allowing his eyes to trail down and admire her figure. She had taken to wearing her old floral dresses and the innocence that the look inferred turned him on.

'I thought you were goin' somewhere?' Caleb asked, surprised by her presence and hiding the controller behind his back.

Gail looked from Lucas to Caleb and folded her arms over her chest. 'I thought it was more appropriate to check on my ill relative first...Am I interrupting your game?' she asked sweetly.

'The boy was just trying to take his mind off his illness Darlin', surely you can't be mad at him for that?' Lucas interjected before Caleb had chance to answer.

Gail turned her attention to Lucas and bit her lip to hide her irritation. 'I'm not mad, I'm just surprised he's got the energy and focus to play a puzzle game when he's too ill for school. It's OK though, Nurse Rita is here to check on him...why don't we head to the kitchen and leave them to it?' she asked.

Lucas glanced at Caleb, who was clearly worried at being examined by Rita and shot him a wink. 'It's alright son, you just be sure to detail all them aches and pains you were tellin' me about' he said and led Gail to the kitchen.

When they were alone Gail held her hand to her aching head, before rummaging in her cupboards for some tablets. She had been trying to hide her pain from Rita; however, it was getting too intense and she did not have the strength to hide it from Lucas.

Lucas watched as his love located some tablets, then instinctively found a glass and poured her some water. 'It looks like my boy ain't the only one who needs a day off' he said concerned and handed her the glass.

'Oh please...' she laughed after taking the tablets, '...there's nothing wrong with him and you know it'

Lucas shrugged, then approached her slowly and gently took hold of her hips. 'So what if there isn't? What's the harm in one day off?...Besides, I'm more concerned about what's botherin' you'

Gail allowed him to hold her for a moment, then gently removed his hands from of her hips. 'You concerned about someone other than yourself? I'm not that naive Sheriff'

Lucas shook his head, then cupped her chin in his hands and stared deeply into her eyes. 'I thought we were past all this Miss Emory...' he said in a smooth tone, '...Maybe we outta take this to the bedroom where I can display my true feelings'

Gail's lack of energy prevented her from putting up her guard against his charm and she was lost in his gaze. It occurred to her that her life may not be too bad if she just gave in fully to his wishes and there would be no need for her to fight any longer. Suddenly a sharp pain surged through her stomach, forcing her out of her trance and she pushed Lucas away from her.

Lucas stared in shock at Gail and went to approach her again, until she raised her hand in a warning gesture. 'What the hell is wrong with you?' he snapped, unable to control his anger.

Gail forced herself to keep her composure and not allow him to see she was in agony. 'What's wrong with me is you and your incessant need to force your presence on me...Just back off and leave me alone!' she snapped back and stormed out of the kitchen.

Lucas took a deep breath to control his anger, he hated it when she got like this and his control was taken away. Suddenly the front door slammed shut and he turned his attention towards Caleb, who had joined him in the kitchen and looked as confused as he felt.

'What happened?...' Caleb asked, '...Gail just grabbed Nurse Rita and left'

Lucas let out an irritated laugh and shook his head. 'If I had a dollar for every time I wondered what happened with your cousin, I'd have doubled my fortune by now'

Caleb sighed and signaled for Lucas to follow him. 'Well seen as she's left us here, you might as well keep me company' he said, knowing Gail would be even madder if he remained alone.

Lucas smiled and followed his boy. 'I suppose there's no harm in you showin' me what all the fuss is about with that thing' he said glancing at the Playstation 4 and took a seat on the couch.

* * *

Rita sat quietly in the front passenger seat of the red Mustang, as Gail drove towards the Pier. She had been laughing with Caleb about his fake illness when Gail had stormed out of the kitchen and ordered her to follow her out of the house, Gail had not engaged in conversation since they began driving and Rita was becoming concerned.

Gail could sense Rita's worry and bit her lip to stop herself from snapping at her, it was not fair that this woman had been pulled into this and she did not want to say something she would regret at a later time. She had not expected Lucas to be at her house, everything seemed to go from bad to worse when he was around and she reminded herself that it was him who she was annoyed at not Rita.

Another strong pain shot through her stomach and this caused her to pull over to the side of the road abruptly. Gail unbuckled her seat belt then got out of the car and rushed over to a bush, where she started to vomit.

Rita watched as Gail leaned over the bush and tried to decide whether it was better to leave her be or help. Rita was a kind, caring person and it was not in her nature to sit by while someone was suffering; therefore, she unbuckled her seat belt and pulled herself out of the passenger side carefully. She approached Gail cautiously and bent down, then pulled her hair gently in a ponytail in her hand in an attempt to keep it away from the vomit. Gail tensed slightly in protest of her presence and Rita stroked her back softly to reassure her that she was here to help.

Gail was annoyed at herself for allowing someone to see her in this position; however, she accepted Rita's comforting touch, then stood up slowly when it appeared there was nothing left inside her to come out. When Rita handed her a tissue, Gail laughed and shook her head, 'I doubt this is the something you had in mind to do today'

Rita smiled and smoothed down Gail's dress, while she was wiping her mouth and fixing her hair. 'It beats sittin' indoors all day listenin' to the radio...Now you wanna tell me what's goin' on with you?' she asked and handed her a piece of chewing gum she had found in her purse.

Gail put the chewing gum in her mouth and was thankful for the minty taste, the truth was she did not know what was wrong with her and these symptoms she was experiencing had come on all of a sudden. 'I'm probably just run down or something...I'll be fine' she lied.

Rita laughed and shook her head, then took Gail's arm and led her back towards to car. 'You most certainly are not fine, so you're gonna get in the car and I'll drive us to where we need to be to find out what's wrong'

Gail could not hide her look of horror at the thought of someone else driving her car, especially when it was someone she did not know all that well. 'It's alright, you don't need to worry yourself about me...'

'Get in the car Gail...' Rita ordered and pointed to the passenger side, '...unless you wanna risk me and my baby if you pass out at the wheel?'

Gail sighed and rolled her eyes in exasperation, Rita was clearly overreacting; however, she would never put the life of an unborn child at risk and begrudgingly headed towards the passenger side of her car.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Merlyn sat with Matt on a bench situated in a quiet spot before the Pier, she stared contently at the slow current and enjoyed the feeling of the hot sun on her face. When she had been a ghost it took her a long time to come to terms that she would not feel anything again, now she was thankful for any kind of feeling she experienced and would never take the simple things in life for granted.

Matt watched M carefully as she gazed into the Trinity River, he admired her calmness and her strength when her life appeared to revolve around Lucas Buck. Not only did she have to deal with Gail being his lover and Caleb being his son, her boss Abraham was a close personal friend of the man and was probably part of some some of morbid game orchestrated by Lucas.

'Abe isn't like that Matt, he's more on Gail's side than he is Lucas'' Merlyn said calmly, reading his mind.

Matt regarded her curiously, her answering questions that he had not asked had not gone unnoticed recently. 'You're very intuitive' he said, monitoring her reaction to his statement carefully.

'I am what I am Matt...' Merlyn laughed and stood up, '...It doesn't take a genius to figure out where your thoughts lie'

Matt watched as she moved closer to the water, then got up from his seated position and followed her. 'I am like an open book I suppose'

Merlyn smiled and ran her fingers through her long brown hair, she had never been allowed to grow it this long with her father and she reflected on how her style had changed since she became whole again. The sense of Matt watching her brought her out of her reverie and she turned towards him. 'You worry about Caleb and Gail, you worry about me being around people who are so close to Lucas Buck when it's clear he has no love for me...I don't need to be psychic to figure these things out'

Matt nodded, he supposed his loathing for Lucas was obvious and the fact that the man had managed to interject himself into the lives of the people he cared dearly for was concerning; however, he was not so naive that he did not know there were forces at work in this town and the girl in front of him appeared to be entangled in them.

Merlyn sensed his curiosity with her, then without thinking leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She had witnessed Gail do this when she wanted to distract Lucas away from her secrets and from the look of shock on Matt's face when she pulled away, her instincts had worked.

Matt allowed himself a moment to enjoy the feel of her lips on his, then came to his senses when she pulled away from him. He stared at her for a moment, then turned away in disgust at himself for what he had allowed. She was 16 years old and he was 37, what had he been thinking allowing her to spend so much time with him? All previous thoughts in his head had disappeared and were replaced with discontent at his actions.

Merlyn sensed his damning thoughts and touched his arm gently. She could not allow him to be so curious that he tried to discover who she was; however, she had not intended to upset him this way. 'Calm down Matt, you haven't done anythin' wrong...'

'You need to stay away from me' Matt interrupted as he pulled free from her soft touch and headed towards the walkway which led to the Pier. He needed to think and he could not do that while she was around.

Merlyn watched sadly as Matt walked away, she wished she could explain to him that she was not the child he thought she was; however, she could not, so she turned back towards the water to finish her quiet reflection.

* * *

Billy sat in the waiting room at the main reception of the hospital, after his run in with Lucas earlier he felt pent up and needed to do something. He had been suspended from Juniper House while the investigation was still ongoing; therefore, he decided to come back to his initial place of work in this town. He did not expect much but he thought he would see if Matt needed any help.

Billy had been waiting patiently for Matt to return from his lunch break for close to an hour, before deciding to have a wander around the hospital. It had been a while since he strolled the corridors here and it gave him a strange calming feeling as he walked casually about the place. He smiled at Nurses as they passed and nodded towards the patients who had chosen to walk the corridors like himself, looking for something to take their mind off their current situations.

As he approached the room that Caleb Temples mother committed suicide, he subconsciously slowed down. He remembered Matt used to be fascinated with the room, he guessed it was due to Judith Temples strange decision to take her own life after giving birth. The hospital staff liked to keep the room free if possible, he supposed they were superstitious considering two suicides had occurred in just over a decade.

Billy had seen so much in his travels with the CDC that he would never dismiss the possibility of a dark presence, hell he had seen enough in this town to make a firm believer of himself; therefore, he did not venture too close to the closed door and peered in through the small window on the door from a safe distance. He was taken aback when he saw someone gazing out of the large window in the room, then opened the door quietly when he realized who it was.

'Are you following me?' Gail asked, not taking her eyes away from the window.

Billy stared at her in silence for a moment, noticing her detached manner with her arms folded across her chest and then moved further into the room.

'Close the door' she ordered and rolled her eyes at the intrusion.

Billy obeyed and closed the door behind him. He had never noticed it before but this room had a coldness to it, which was strange considering how hot it was outside and how bad the air conditioning in the hospital was. He shook off the thought and approached her at the window, focusing on the matter at hand. 'Is everything OK Gail?'

'You mean 'cause I'm standing alone in the hospital room where my Aunt took her own life?...Yes, everything's fine' she answered, still staring out of the window.

Billy regarded her carefully, then placed his hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. When he felt how cold her skin was he stroked her arms with his warm hands, in an attempt to provide her with some heat.

Gail closed her eyes and accepted the closeness of her friend, there was a cold presence in this room and she knew she should leave; however, she felt drawn to this window and her instincts were screaming at her to stay.

Billy smiled when Gail subconsciously leaned back into him, he placed his arms around her and held her for a moment before breaking the silence. 'If your sociopath boyfriend catches us like this, I don't think he'll be too impressed' he whispered in her ear.

'As opposed to your demented girlfriend? I can't imagine her reaction who be much better' Gail laughed and leaned further back into him. It was nice being close to someone who was normal, even if they could not take it any further than this.

'Am I interrupting?' Matt asked suspiciously, as he closed the door behind him.

Gail sighed and cursed herself for getting so distracted that she did not realize someone had entered. 'Of course not' she said pulling out of Billy's arms and continued to stare out of the window.

Billy turned towards Matt, who was staring at him with disapproval and shrugged. 'I was actually looking for you...' he said trying to take the focus off what Matt had witnessed, '...Have you got a minute?'

Matt shook his head slowly and tried to control his judgement of them both. 'I suppose I have, but I need to speak to my old friend first...Go wait in my office'

Gail glanced over her shoulder at Matt curiously, then nodded at Billy to leave. She had not spoken properly with Matt recently, as Merlyn had been doing a good job at keeping him occupied and out of her way; however, she sensed something was wrong and although she had her own problems, it appeared this might be serious. When Billy left the room she turned around to face her old friend and laughed at the judgmental look on his face. 'Wipe that look off your face Matt, don't have an opinion on something you don't understand'

Matt noticed something different about his friend, but he put it out of his mind and tried to focus. 'I don't mean to have an opinion Gail, but if it was someone else who caught you two in here there would've been a bigger problem'

Gail laughed and shook her head, 'He's none of your concern...now spit it out'

Matt stared deeply into his friends eyes trying to pluck up the courage to say what he wanted to say, then stared down at his hands.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him, then moved closer and took hold of his hands gently. 'Matt, what's wrong?' she asked calmly.

Matt allowed her to hold his hands like she used to, it reminded him of a time when things were less complicated and their friendship appeared more important than it was now.

Gail closed her eyes at the realization of his thoughts and squeezed his hands affectionately. 'I know things are different now and that can't be helped, but know that I will always put you first wherever possible...It might not seem like it, but you are my oldest friend and best friend here. You know we've shared so much and I couldn't have handled Caleb without you at the beginning, so spit it out Matt'

Matt sighed, then raised his head and looked her in the eyes. 'We kissed' he said and waited for her reaction.

Gail smiled for a moment thinking there was a woman she was unaware of, then her smile faded at the realization of what he was confessing. She released his hands and backed up towards the window shaking her head. 'You're not serious? You can't be that stupid'

'Gail, I'm sorry' Matt started.

'Get out Matt' she ordered calmly, trying to control her darkness. She became aware of the cold presence all around her and turned to look out of the window again.

Matt watched his friend push down her anger and decided the best course of action was to follow her order, as he opened the door he nearly walked into Rita who was holding a brown folder. He nodded at her and forced a smile, then headed for his office.

Rita walked into the room and closed the door behind her, she did not know what had just happened; however, she sensed the anger radiating off Gail. 'You may want to take a seat on the bed Gail' she suggested, gripping the folder tight in her hands.

Gail let out a small laugh and turned towards Rita, then held her hand out for the folder. When Rita handed it to her she opened it and read the contents carefully, then closed it and placed it into her bag. 'Has anyone else seen this?' she asked.

Rita shook her head, 'I was careful to run the tests when no-one was around...I knew I'd get in trouble if a Doctor caught me, but I thought you'd prefer your privacy'

Gail sighed, then placed her hand on Rita's shoulder. 'I expect you to keep this between us, do you understand?'

'I won't tell Ben Gail...Your medical business is your own and this'll be as sacred as Doctor patient confidentiality'

'Good, I appreciate that...' Gail nodded and linked her arm around Rita's, '...come on, we've still not eaten'

* * *

Lucas had become bored of watching his son playing a game and had wandered into Gail's bedroom. It was obvious something was bothering her and he hated not being able to sense what it was; therefore, he just paced the room, enjoying the quiet peacefulness and pondered over what he should do next.

Lucas kicked off his shoes then lay on the large kingsize bed, although he preferred his place of residence this was a comfortable bed and he reflected on the fun he had experienced here. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, then a sudden shape formed in his mind which prompted him to reach under the mattress. When his fingers touched something hard, he smiled to himself and pulled out an old book.

'What do we have here?' he asked out loud as he turned the book over in his hand, then his smile grew wider when he heard Gideon's familiar growl from the doorway.

This book must be of some importance if Gail's mutt was guarding it and he had an overwhelming urge to find out what it was; however, when he went to open the book, a sharp pain surged through his brain and he recognized this as a warning. 'I will not be controlled' he said aloud and stared at the book curiously, then placed it on the bed.

Lucas sat up and put his shoes back on, then picked up the book and began to head out of the room. 'Don't you worry yourself mutt, I'm just going to find a better hiding place for this...We wouldn't want anyone to stumble across it now would we?' he laughed as he exited the room.

Gideon's growls continued, then he barked loudly as Lucas left the house with Caleb in tow.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Merlyn sat behind the counter of Abe's antique store, waiting patiently for the clock to turn to 5:00pm. She had come back to work after lunch; however, all she could think about was how upset Matt was and how much she wanted to check in on him. When the clock finally chimed to signal the end of her shift, she rushed for her bag and said her goodbyes to Abe then turned around to head out the door. Merlyn stopped in her tracks when she saw Gail stood in front of the door with her arms crossed.

Abe came out of his back room when he did not hear the bell above the front door signal his young employee's exit and smiled when he saw Gail. 'Rosie! I didn't know you were comin' to pick up the youngin'' he said as he hobbled towards the main entrance of his store.

Gail forced a smile and closed the distance between them, so Abe did not have to walk far. 'It's a surprise to me too Uncle, but it seems she can't be trusted out on her own' Gail said and shot a disappointed look at Merlyn.

Abe regarded them both curiously, then decided it was best not to get involved. 'Well don't be too hard on the girl, I don't want her moping around my customers tomorrow if she gets a scoldin''

'What customers?' Merlyn asked and pushed out her tongue playfully.

Abe laughed and shook his head, this girl was as hot headed as his Rosie and he was surprised they had gone this long without an altercation. 'You just wait 'til I get a hold of you girl' he retorted sarcastically and waved his walking stick at her playfully.

Gail sighed at the display and linked an arm around her Uncle Abe. 'You need me to drive you home?' she asked, concerned with the effort he had to put in just to walk.

Abe smiled and allowed her to lead him out of the store, then threw Merlyn the keys. 'Well if it ain't too much trouble you can stop me at the grocery store to pick up some dinner'

Gail smiled and led him to her car, while Merlyn locked up the store. 'I'll do you one better and cook you dinner at my place, it's been a while since you came over'

'That's gonna be a problem...' Merlyn interrupted as she got in the back seat of the car, '...I got a message on my phone from Caleb saying he's at Lucas''

Gail bit her lip in exasperation and headed to the drivers side of the car. 'Of course he is...well, it looks like we'll be having a little detour before we head home'

Abe sighed and shook his head knowingly. He knew his old friend Lucas well enough to know that once they set foot on his property, they would not be leaving unless he willed it.

* * *

Lucas was sat comfortably on his porch with Caleb, waiting for the others to arrive. He knew Gail would not leave him alone with Caleb and sensed when she had left the antique store with Abe and Merlyn.

He had set out a glass of red wine ready for her arrival and a cold beer for his old friend, he had even catered to Merlyn and gotten her a glass of pure orange juice to show his good intentions. Lucas did not want to fight, he wanted to discuss the book with his love and what better setting than his domain.

Lucas stood up at the unmistakable sound of the Mustangs engine and nodded towards his boy to do what he had instructed. Caleb appeared happy to obey his orders; therefore, he headed around the back of the house with his glass of red wine and left his boy to greet their guests.

* * *

Gail helped Abe up the porch steps and shot Caleb an irritated glance, it was hard enough keeping out of Lucas' games without her cousin going to his side. Before she had a chance to scold her cousin, Merlyn stormed up the steps and approached Caleb.

'What's the matter with you? Why do you always have to pull these stunts? Don't you ever listen to what we say?' Merlyn snapped and spotted the defiance in her brothers eyes.

'I wasn't feelin' well and wanted to spend time with my daddy...it's not my fault you have such a problem with him' Caleb stood up and faced his sister.

'I've told you so many times that I don't want you here alone Caleb' Gail sighed.

'Well you ain't my momma' Caleb shot back at her, then instantly regretted the comment when he saw the hurt look on her face and the look of anger on Abe's.

'Now you listen here youngin', my Rosie has given up a lot for you...either you show her some respect or I'll put you over my knee right here for all to see' Abe warned sternly.

Caleb regarded the man he was so fond of with disdain, he did not appreciate being spoken to in such a way and he felt something stir within him. 'Give it your best shot old man' he goaded.

'Caleb!' Gail snapped, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to one side. 'What's gotten into you?'

Caleb allowed the force within him to take control and just shrugged, 'I'm not myself cous'...I suppose being forced away from a father can do that to a child'

Gail regarded her cousin cautiously and sensed something strange beneath his surface, before she had a chance to fully acknowledge this a large crow flew down and landed behind him. Gail tried to pull Caleb away from the unwelcome bird; however, it began to caw loudly.

'Gail...' Merlyn started, but her cousin held a hand up to silence her.

Gail glanced from the crow to her cousin and noticed his mouth twist into a small smile. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach; however, her darkness began to rise and would not allow her to stand down.

'Gail!' Merlyn called and pointed to her right.

Gail broke eye contact with Caleb for a second and turned towards the direction Merlyn was pointing. Gideon had appeared and was skulking towards Caleb with his teeth bared.

'Your move cous'' Caleb said in a sinister tone and smiled when the crow moved closer to him.

Gail stared at Caleb for a moment longer then grabbed his arm again and threw him towards his sister, creating distance from both animals. 'Go inside...' she ordered everyone and shot Gideon a warning glance before turning her attention to Merlyn, '...and don't let him out of your sight'

Merlyn shook her head at Caleb's display and took hold of his arm. 'Where are you goin'?'

'To find the master of this domain' Caleb smiled, pulling free of Merlyns grip and going to help Abe.

'We'll be fine Rosie...don't you go gettin' involved in what that boy is up to' he warned.

Gail forced a laugh and watched as they headed inside with Gideon in tow. She did not know what had gotten into her cousin; however, she had an idea of how to find out.

* * *

Lucas paced around his family graveyard slowly, with the diary held securely behind his back. He had witnessed his sons display and although he had not intended for him to be so disrespectful, this was an indication that he was beginning to feel the power within him. Lucas looked forward to providing him with the proper guidance only he could give; however, he would need Gail onside fully if he was to move ahead with his plans.

Lucas sensed her presence closer now and smiled. He walked casually to the standalone headstone at the farthest part of the graveyard, then carefully placed the old book down on the ground and walked away.

Gail came out of the clearing and glanced at the blank headstones before her, she sensed Lucas was close; however, she could not see him and did not understand why he had come here. She instinctively walked towards her past self's gravestone and stared in horror at the diary that lay on the ground before her, she resisted the urge to pick it up and forced herself to continue moving around the site.

When Lucas did not show himself she began to get agitated, he would have no reason to snoop around her bedroom and she did not know how he could stumble across the diary. These thoughts were making her more on edge and she stopped on the spot, which happened to be in front of his fathers grave. 'I'm not impressed with this hide and seek game of yours Lucas' she called.

Lucas stepped out from behind a tree and approached her quietly, she was unaware of his presence close to her until he placed his hands on her hips and pulled her towards him. 'No game here Miss Emory, I just wanted some peace and quiet away from the rabble' he said sarcastically.

'The rabble that you tricked into being here? I find that awfully strange Sheriff' she said as she leaned back into him.

Lucas nipped at her bare shoulder playfully, then turned her around and lifted her up in his arms. When she wrapped her arms around his neck obediently he carried her over the the standalone grave and placed a soft kiss on her lips before setting her down.

Gail forced her focus to remain on him and not the book, she tangled her hands in his soft hair and pulled gently. 'What is it that you want Sheriff?' she asked sweetly.

Lucas could sense her avoidance tactic and knelt down in front of her, he carefully moved her feet further apart and pushed her back slightly so the book was between her legs on the ground. 'I can imagine there's a lot of things I want Miss Emory, but at this moment in time I'll just settle for this' he smiled and ran his hands up her bare legs.

Gail inhaled deeply when she felt the familiar sensation between her legs, he was clearly waiting for her to comment on the book she was stood over; however, she would not give in. As if sensing her resistance Lucas pulled down her panties and moved his tongue between her legs, the burst of pleasure was so intense that she had to lean back slightly and grip the headstone. 'Not here Lucas' she panted.

Lucas nipped at sweet spot playfully and smiled. 'If not here then where Gail? We won't be bothered here and this spot doesn't have anything to do with you now does it?' he asked knowingly.

Gail bit her lip in frustration then tried to push him away; however, he held her firmly in place by her hips and began to lick her gently. 'Lucas stop!' she pleaded, then caught sight of her past self. Gail looked at her apologetically and she smiled back at her, providing reassurance that there would be no repercussions for this act.

Lucas felt Gail relax and pushed his tongue inside of her, he had only intended this act to be a form of persuasion; however, she tasted different and he could not pull himself away. He released her hips and pushed his hands beneath her short dress, then ran his fingers up her body. He smiled when he heard her loud moan and started to quicken the movements.

Gail closed her eyes an allowed him to make patterns inside of her with his tongue, this is not how she had intended her day to end; however, his movements were relentless and there was no stopping him when he got like this. Gail felt her orgasm building and called out his name when her climax finally hit.

Lucas sensed how weak her body was and placed his hands securely on her back as he stood up. 'What's different Gail?' he asked curiously, as he licked her residue off his lips.

Gail inhaled and exhaled deeply, then stroked his cheek and placed a soft kiss on his lips. 'Nothing's different Lucas...' she sighed, '...you trick my family into coming here and ignore dmy orders to stop...It's just another day at the Buck Mansion'

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her, he knew she was hiding something from him; however, it was not clear whether it involved the book or something else. Lucas bent down to pick up the book, not taking his eyes off hers and held it up to her. 'This looks interesting' he said smugly.

Gail continued to look deep into his eyes and smiled. 'What do you know about it?' she asked calmly.

'Nothing really, I've not read it...' Lucas shrugged, '...Should I have?'

Gail stroked his arm gently and carefully took the book from his hand. 'Nope...there's nothing in there that would interest a man like you Sheriff'

Lucas regarded her curiously and allowed her to keep possession of the book. 'I respected your privacy Darlin', make sure you remember that' he advised.

Gail placed the book behind her back to get it out of sight and looked at him suspiciously. 'And why did you do that? You've made it clear previously that you don't trust my motives'

Lucas smiled and cupped her chin in his hand. 'I released Billy for you as you insinuated you'd consider my previous offer, I'm showing you that you can trust me...This need of yours to hide things is just your paranoia Gail'

Gail pulled away from his grasp and laughed. 'My need to hide things? You can't seriously be throwing that back at me...How old are you Lucas? How did Malcolm die? How did your mother die? Why did Judy kill herself? Did you love her?...Shall I continue?'

Lucas took a step back at Calebs mothers name being spoken aloud. Gail had avoided mentioning his relationship with her at all and this threw him off guard.

Gail saw the bewildered look on his face when she mentioned her Aunt and jumped on the opening. 'You know you can trust me...I'm still here after everything I've seen, against my better judgement. What happened with her Lucas?' she asked softly, as she stepped forward and stroked his chest affectionately.

Lucas opened his mouth to talk, then spotted his father Malcolm stood in front of a tree behind Gail shaking his head. Suddenly Lucas came to his sensed and kissed Gail passionately. 'Nothing happened...' he whispered when she pulled away from their embrace, '...You need to bury that subject deep down Gail'

Gail sensed that they were not alone and glanced over her shoulder, but no-one was there. She had never really thought much about her Aunt Judy's death, even when Merlyn had mentioned it; however, his reaction had peaked her curiosity. A sharp pain in her stomach brought her back to the moment at hand and she turned back to face Lucas. 'I suppose I'm cooking for us all this evening?' she asked irritated.

'Don't be so annoyed, Abe loves it here and will appreciate spending time with us all' he smiled, then linked her arm and led her back towards his house.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

A week had passed since Merlyn kissed Matt and she was getting frustrated at the lack of communication between them. Gail had banned her from being alone with him and Matt had closed himself off to her. On the bright side it appeared her action had brought Gail and Matt closer together, which Merlyn knew would be infuriating Lucas and this thought got her through the days recently.

'What are you smilin' at?' Caleb asked as he entered the kitchen and took a piece of toast off his sisters plate.

'Lucas being pissed...have you apologized to Gail for the way you behaved last week?' she asked.

'Have you apologized to Lucas for being a pain in his behind?' Caleb asked.

Merlyn shot a warning look at her brother and shook her head. 'You better watch your language around adults Caleb, not everyone will give you a free pass like Lucas does'

'Well you ain't an adult, besides I'm only jestin'...Speakin' of adults, where's Gail? We're gonna be late'

Merlyn looked down and pushed the bacon around her plate. 'She's been in the bathroom ever since she made me breakfast...I guess she didn't like the smell of the bacon' she shrugged.

Caleb could see the concern on his sisters face and headed towards the bathroom, when he got close he could hear the tap running. 'Gail, are you alright?' he called, knocking on the door.

Gail reached over to the sink by the toilet and turned the tap on full to disguise the sound of her vomiting, there was no point in worrying the children; therefore, she would act as if everything was normal. She took a deep breath to slow her heart rate and wiped her mouth with a towel. 'I'm fine Caleb, go get ready for school and I'll be right out'

Caleb could tell she was trying to reassure him; however, he sensed that something was wrong. Before he had a chance to respond he heard a knock on the front door and rushed to answer it, so not to disturb his cousin.

'Mornin'...' Rita smiled and pushed her way past Caleb, '...where's your cousin?'

Caleb glared at Rita, then relaxed when she smiled sweetly at him. 'She's in the bathroom I guess, I think there's something wrong with h...'

'Never mind that...' Rita interrupted and gently placed her arm around his shoulders, '...You go get ready for school, you can jump in with me and Ben Jr'

Caleb smiled at the mention of Ben Jr, he had not seen him in a while and enjoyed his company. 'Alright, but you tell Merly to make sure Gail is OK' he said and rushed up the stairs to his bedroom.

Rita had never heard him refer to M as Merly and it reminded her of his sisters name Merlyn. She shook off the thought then headed towards the bathroom and knocked gently. 'Gail? Open the door' she ordered quietly.

Gail forced herself away from the toilet, then opened the door slightly and peered through the crack. 'What do you want Rita?' she asked abruptly.

Rita was taken aback by the dark circles around Gail's eyes and her untidy appearance. It was clear that she had been up all night and Rita did not envy her going through this cycle. 'You need to rest, so I'm takin' Caleb to school and I'll pick him up later. I will not take no for an answer here...Will you be alright with M?'

Gail nodded and leaned her head against the door, she had never felt this weak and the constant vomiting was really becoming a problem. 'Only if you're sure Rita...I appreciate the help' she sighed.

Rita regarded Gail sympathetically, she knew enough about Gail to know she did not usually accept help so easily; therefore, she must really be hurting. 'If you're insistin' on keeping this a secret from everyone includin' your Doctor, I expect you to check in with me regularly'

Gail felt her stomach churn and slammed the door shut. 'Fine...now leave me alone' she snapped before rushing to the toilet to vomit again.

Merlyn popped her head around the kitchen door and smiled at Rita. 'I've already called Abe and told him I won't be in today...I won't be leavin' her' she said reassuringly.

Rita smiled and placed her hand on the girls shoulder. 'I can't tell you whats wrong, but you need to make sure she gets plenty of fluids and call me if she gets any worse'

Merlyn nodded then watched as Rita left and waved at Caleb on his way out. When the front door closed, the bathroom door opened and Gail walked out slowly. 'Can I get you anything Gail?'

'You can get me a new life' Gail answered and headed towards her bedroom.

Merlyn followed her and watched as her cousin rummaged through the wardrobe. 'You don't mean that, what can I do?' she asked, wanting to help.

'If you're not going in work today, you can come with me to the Bank. I have a big meeting that I can't miss and I could do with someone to help me stay upright' Gail said and threw her pin striped skirt suit on the bed.

* * *

Lucas sat in his office signing papers, with Ben stood over him. He had vowed to his Deputy that he would take his reports seriously and this meant Ben got to get his annoyance of certain high ranking people in Trinity getting out of tickets off his chest. This activity was tedious to Lucas and more often than not ended with him telling Ben to drop the matter; however, it made his Deputy feel valued at the odd times when he allowed his suggested actions to be carried out.

'You're unusually quiet today Ben' Lucas reflected out loud.

Ben often had a list of the usual suspects speeding, or parking in unauthorized placed; however, he mind was not in it today. Rita had been distant over the past week and was making excuses to leave the house a lot recently. He knew she hated sitting about the place; however, he was becoming concerned that she was pulling away from him like Barbara Joy did.

'You're still quiet Ben...What's goin' on with you?' Lucas asked.

Ben sighed and shook his head. 'It's nothin' Lucas, just stuff with Rita is all'

Lucas smiled and pushed the reports to one side, he would take woman problems over paperwork any day. 'Aww hell Ben, don't be so shy. We've known each other a long time, why don't you take a seat and let me know what's botherin' you friend?' he smiled.

Ben glanced at the chair then sat down, knowing this was more of an order than an invitation. He did not want to involve Lucas in his personal life; however, his morning coffee shop meetings with Gail had dried up and Billy would never understand his problems. He supposed he should give Lucas a chance, after all he had known the man most of his life. 'Alright Lucas, Rita's runnin' around doin' god knows what and it's botherin' me' he spat out.

Lucas laughed, Ben had clearly wanted to talk this out with someone for a while. 'OK, so she's heavily pregnant and highly respectable...I doubt she's runnin' around with another man'

'I didn't say she was...' Ben sighed, '...It's just, well she rushed out this mornin' to take Ben Jr to school'

'And her takin' care of your son isn't a good thing?' Lucas asked sarcastically.

'Well yeah, but she's never taken him before and I got the feelin' she was using it as an excuse to go somewhere without me'

Lucas nodded, it was strange if she had never taken the boy before. He knew Rita was smart and would never hurt his Deputy, there would be dire consequences if that were to happen. Ben could be high and mighty at times; however, he was ultimately loyal and his friend, so he would not stand by and watch him get damaged like Barbara Joy did to him. No, this was something else and his curiosity was peaked. 'Alright, so women are cunning and hide things in subtle ways...Is there a subject that she avoids talkin' about? It'd be somethin' that she suddenly stopped mentioning'

Ben thought hard about the question and all the things they usually talked about. Rita always wanted to know about his day, what Billy was getting up to and how Gail was doing. She liked to be kept in the loop now that she was unable to attend many social gatherings with him and they talked a lot about Billy since he was released; however, she did not mention Gail anymore, which now struck him as strange.

Lucas read his thoughts and stood up from his seated position behind his desk. 'You know what Ben? I think we need some air, let's go for a drive and see who we stumble across' he said and signaled Ben to follow him.

* * *

Matt sat with Billy in his office, going over a patients records. Billy had offered to assist him as he was becoming bored on his suspension, Matt had initially turned down the offer; however, the man had turned up everyday at the beginning of his shift and was wearing him down.

'Alright, I know Mrs Brown and her ailments, she should be an easy one to start off with' Billy said and looked up at Matt, who appeared to be distracted. 'Are you OK bud?'

Matt had been reading the same sentence for the past 10 minutes and was certainly not OK. 'I'm fine, you just focus on the patient and try not to get me fired' he said, standing up.

Billy watched Matt pace and shook his head. 'You look like you're wandering around like a love sick puppy. I remember when Selena had me like that...Who's the lucky woman?'

Matt stared out of his office window at Mrs Brown waiting in the reception area, it was actually a good thing Billy was here to take his mind off things. 'Drop it Doctor and focus...Your girlfriend has requested my presence down at the school to talk about something or other, I've told Nurse Stacey to keep an eye on you while I'm gone'

'Don't worry about me Matt, this'll be just like riding a bike...' Billy laughed, '...Remember, no detours to your mystery lady while you're gone...you're still on shift'

Matt rolled his eyes and left the office, he missed spending time with M and Billy's comments only made him want to see her more. He would stop by Gail's house after his visit to school, hopefully he would be able to catch a glimpse of her while he was there.

* * *

Merlyn escorted Gail into the house after she had driven back from the Bank. It appeared to have taken all of her cousins energy to complete this task and she was really starting to worry. After Gail had reassured her that she was alright, she left her laying in bed reading the old book she had found in the cabin they had visited a while ago.

Merlyn went to the kitchen and poured herself a drink of water, then headed out to the front porch. When she opened the door she was shocked to see Matt just about to knock and smiled sweetly at him. 'Long time no see' she said and glanced down at her hands.

Matt was taken aback and had not actually expected her to be home at this time. 'What are you doing here?' he asked confused.

'Well I live here silly...' Merlyn laughed, '...I took the day off work to watch Gail'

'Now why would she require supervision Missy?' Lucas asked as he strolled up the porch steps with Ben in tow.

Matt saw the irritated look on M's face and turned to challenge Lucas. 'Maybe she's building up her strength to finally denounce you Sheriff'

'And maybe her body requires a day or two to recharge after all of our evenin' activities Harvard'

* * *

The voices traveled through to Gail in her bedroom; however, she was so engrossed in the final few pages of the diary to care.

She had learned that her past self was infatuated with her half sisters partner, her sister was betrothed to the man; however, she could not get him out of her mind and she became obsessed with him. The man coincidentally was named Lucas Buck and she had allowed him to take her innocence, ignoring her sisters commitment to him.

It appeared that his feelings matched hers and he was going to discard her sister so they could finally be together. Her past self had been cruel and told her sister about the affair first, then threatened to kill all that she loved if she stood in their way. She mocked her sister and revealed that she was pregnant, which meant their love would continue on when they were gone.

As she read the last page in the book she felt a single tear roll down her cheek. Her past self was dark and disturbed, that was clear; however, her love was true. When her lover found out about her pregnancy, he performed a ceremony that would bind them together forever and her past self committed a murder to provide a blood sacrifice for the ritual.

The last thing written in the diary was a poem for her unborn child, Gail somehow knew she had written it before she had chosen to bathe in the Trinity River just before she was murdered. Gail ran her fingers through her hair, then stroked her stomach. This diary was the ramblings of an obsessed woman; however, she knew the contents were true and she truly felt damned.

The sound of raised voices pierced through her brain and she glanced towards her bedroom door. She got up from the bed and threw some loose clothes into a large bag and after placing a piece of paper on her bed with a handwritten note, she left the room and headed discreetly out the back door.

* * *

Lucas was laughing at Matt's challenging stance when he sensed something was very wrong, he pushed past both Matt and Merlyn then rushed to Gail's bedroom. When he found no one there he ran out of the back door, around the house and down the street to where Gail liked to park her car in the daytime. He ran out just in time to see the blood red Mustang speed away, then returned to the house.

When Lucas entered Gail's bedroom again, he came across Merlyn sat on the bed with Matt's arm around her. 'What is it?' Lucas asked, trying to hide his concern.

'She's gone' Merlyn said in disbelief and jumped when Lucas ripped the note from her hands.

The note stated that Gail needed some time alone to contemplate things and she left her parental guardianship to Matt while she was gone. She would check in from time to time; however, she did not want to be followed.

Lucas threw the note down and spotted the paperwork on the bed next to Merlyn, he picked it up and saw it was the deed to Judith Temple's old place of work in Goat Town. Lucas dropped the deed as he felt his twin burst out of him in an attempt to locate his love and stormed out of the house, he would not allow her to get far.

Merlyn looked at the deed that Lucas had thrown on the floor and her eyes widened. 'She didn't' she whispered and could not control her smile.

Matt glanced at the deed and sensed the excitement radiating off M. He did not know what game Gail was playing but he would have to trust her judgement for now.

* * *

Gail smiled as she drove down the long road that led out of town and waited patiently to be patched through. When Lucas answered his radio her smile grew wider. 'Missing me yet lover?' she asked smugly.

Lucas looked at the radio in his hand for a moment then put it towards his lips. 'What is this Gail? You really think you can hide from me?' he asked angrily.

'Well it appears you're having a little trouble locating me Sheriff, otherwise you would be on my six by now'

'I will find you Gail' he said calmly.

'Checkmate lover' she laughed, then ended the call. She glanced at the diary on her front passenger seat and adjusted her mirror to reveal her past self smiling in the backseat of the car, then continued driving down the quiet road out of town.

-The End-


End file.
